NOVA’s most recent program is about the Intelligent Design debate over the last few years. They’ve put together an excellent companion website, and as of November 16th, you can watch the entire program online – I highly recommend it. NOVA always does a fantastic job on their programs and this is no exception.
My one criticism is that they neglected to mention the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster’s role in the Intelligent Design vs Science debate.
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An elaborate spoof on Intelligent Design, The Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster is neither too elaborate nor too spoofy to succeed in nailing the fallacies of ID. It's even wackier than Jonathan Swift's suggestion that the Irish eat their children as a way to keep them from being a burden, and it may offend just as many people, but Henderson, described elsewhere as a 25-year-old "out-of-work physics major," puts satire to the same serious use that Swift did. Oh, yes, it is very funny. -- Scientific American
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I’ve often wondered why we have a coccyx, why a snake has vestigial hind limbs.
(I can imagine the answer to the snake one – *god left them there as a permanent reminder of the grace from which the serpent had fallen*)
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Also – if god is so damned omniscient, omnipotent etc. and unconcerned by time (he’s outside time, apparently) why didn’t he give us some hint about DNA in the bible?
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Why – “and god created man in his own image…”? Instead of…
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” and god created a sticky goo,
and from that,
he made you! ”
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It would have scanned better!
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Sticky goo? like Play-Doh?
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@Jennyanydots- no the documentary is very good. It just concerns the trial, which the god boxes lost. Very interesting.
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@PacificPam- Well done babe!
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They have yet to post my comments on their shitty site
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@ Alchemist- something very disturbing about being made from gods sticky-goo
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@rmw – My apologies for not responding sooner; but things manage to pile up from time to time. No chauvinism, or macho “sexism” intended back there when I asked about your being in Romania. Just the old habit of taking for granted that one asks – or thinks – in terms of “he/him” first; which, with some 75+ years of scribbling, hangs on, especially in short, and informal, notes. I really think you have a wonderful opportunity there; and I certainly wish you all the best as you continue your training.
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We had a little of the left-over WW-II animosity loose here too, with the Romanian Archbishop, Valerian, being forced to give up his Jurisdiction, and retire to a Monastery up in Canada, after accusations of his having been a member of Romania’s Fascist Youth Org. As a sort of “counterweight”, we also have the wonderful works of the late Professor, Father Merica Eliade; whose entire writings on religion are MORE than worth the effort to read, and contemplate.
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No offense to our good Pastafarian hosts here; but NOT all Christianity is rooted in bibliolatry, nor is it all – or even in that large a part – given over to such funnymentalcase ideas as “Creation Science” and/or “Intellegent Design” – as a fixed set of propositions – substituting for human growth, discovery, and knowledge.
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Indeed, if I may be allowed to make the observation, a very fine, and scholarly, acquaintance often observes that, “Christianity is a thinking man’s religion”. If anyone finds a paradox there, it might be both interesting and fun to work through.
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In any event, having now been kicked off, and locked out of the Rocky Munchkin News – which offers opportunity for comment on Letters only by “subscription”, and with “approval”,as given by a password from them, which password is now required to even get an email Letter to one of the Columnists through their censors – it is a pleasure to be able to find intelligent people, who are willing to deal with ideas.
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Apropos of which, an old saying: “A University is a student on one end of a bench and a great scholar on the other.” (Back when that was going round, the scholar named was usually Oliver Wendel Holmes; but you choose your own.) However, in Colorado today, the student would find himself, or herself, mighty lonesome out there on his, or her, end of the bench.
DUH! What in the h#@$ is a “BIBLE” University?
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And, what in h&*@ is a “Bible University” graduate doing as President – or Chancellor, or Dean, or whatever – of a tax supported State “institution of higher learning”?
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Oh, and Alchemist – how about tonsils and appendices? Actually how about eybrows?
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@Old Grouch- problem with what you have said is that the only real Christians are the fundamentalists.
They are the only ones who believe the bible word for word. Anyone who doesn’t is just posing and deluding themselves. How can you be part of a religion you don’t believe in?
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“Actually how about eybrows?”
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Yeah and why do I have a really hairy bit between my shoulders? In fact – if I remember – the only place on our body we don’t have hair is on our pads!
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Sorry – palms.
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hahahahaha Hair…
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@Pluto – Orthodoxy is not based on the Bible. Indeed, it was the Church, in Council Assembled, who collected together the various manuscripts circulating throughout the Church, and settled upon that Canon which would be used throughout for Public Worship, in the 6th Century. When the Protestant revolutionaries threw out Tradition – however much abused and twisted it had become in the Western Church – they were left with . . . basically a form of “make it up as you go along”, which is the root of all Protestantism, and its various cults, sects, and divisions today.
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Your Bible will give you the words of St. Paul, where he says, “If an angel comes among you teaching other than we have taught, reject him.” Which teaching was ORAL, not from any written source, and is Tradition. In strict application, Orthodoxy regards Romanism as Protestant, often referring to the Pope as “the first Protestant”; harking back to the Arian controversy, when Honorius of Rome, who could not read, write, or speak Greek opted for the “diphthong” – Homoiusion (of like/similar substance) rather than the Christian Theological position of Homousion (of the same substance) – and Rome was lost to the Arian heresy for about a Century and a half, before returning to the fundamentals of the Symbolion – or Creed as it is known in the West.
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The “Old Testament” – Hebrew mythology book – isn’t regarded as a “word for word” matter of belief by the Jews, whose original book it is. If they don’t, how then do “christians” come to that point?
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And, while Christians did – and still do – utilize the Psalms, and other parts of the Old Testament readings, Orthodoxy does not – and never has – seen any of them in the “Mohamedan” view, as being some kind of “dictated”, or “transcribed”, “Divine and inerrant” set of absolutes. Indeed, if you actually read your Bible itself, you will find that many of the historical books tell you, among other things, that they are, simply, redactions, or editions, of other, more comprehensive, works, usually to be found – in the day and age – in the Royal archives, or equivalent.
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Don’t mistake bibliolatry – book worship – for Christian Theology.
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If you be actually interested in Christian Theology, I would recommend Father John Meyendorf, BYZANTINE THEOLOGY – or almost any other of his writings as well. Father Alexander Schmemann also wrote an excellent catechetical series. Any of these should be available through your library; Or, if you want to add them to your own library, Light and Life Books, St. Vladimir Seminary Press; or most religious/church goods retailers on order.
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Christian Theology (Orthodox) concerns itself solely with that which are matters of Faith. Sociology, economics, history, and the “hard” sciences are matters of HUMAN affairs; and humans are quite free to develop their own cultures, customs, usages, and technologies.
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But, again, I would suggest that those who want to learn go to those who are sources of teaching materials. That’s really what learning is all about – education, to “educe”, or draw forth from – rather than mere memorization, and parroting of a “party line” by way of indoctrination. I think one will find that process to be a wonderful experience in life.
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Need…more…gaps…please!
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I am so lazy to read those long posts…bah..
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@ Old Grouch_ so real Christians are inspired by writing not a slave to it.
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@ old grouch
Jesus said in Matthew 5:18 “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled”.
Jesus says the old testament is the real deal – every word. Verse 19 and 20 go on to describe the punishment for not heeding the old laws/testament/prophets.
The bible is so ambiguous that you can pretty much support any preconceived notion you may have. The rub comes when you pay attention to ALL of it. There is some pretty nasty shit in there….
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On occasion I wander over to the Disco Institution to see what the prize IDiots have been up to. I do not recommend taking such an excursion on a regular basis as this often numbs brain function for hours, which can be quite scary at times for those endowed with rational thought function abilities. From snake oil sales head office:-
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*Design of Life* (Posted 19th November at Discovery)
“Fast forward to 2008, and Pandas’ successor, The Design of Life, written by leading ID theorists William Dembski and Jonathan Wells, brings readers up to speed on the numerous advancements of ID over the past 20 years. Design of Life is more than twice as long as Pandas, recounting many of the peer-reviewed scientific papers, scientific books, and laboratory studies completed by ID theorists. It offers an excellent up-to-date account of ID for any reader.”
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http://www.evolutionnews.org/2007/11/design_of_life.html#more
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I was sure I could hear singing while I was there….like “we’ll build a world of our own”….and then….. “we’re not listening… we can’t hear you….we can’t see you…. lalalalalalalalala”.
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@ Jennyanydots Nov 20th, 2007 at 10:46 pm
“how about tonsils and appendices? Actually how about eybrows?”
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-@109 Alchemist Nov 20th, 2007 at 11:20 pm
“Yeah and why do I have a really hairy bit between my shoulders? In fact – if I remember –
the only place on our body we don’t have hair is on our pads”!
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My favourite…..scent glands around our anus?
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@ Old Grouch
Oooooh! I love it oral! But you are correct, the Byzantine is the closest to the paga- I mean original Christian traditions, hehe.
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@Old Grouch–no worries. I realize my user-name here is ambiguous. My time in Romania has been interesting–somewhere in the middle of good and bad. The amount of corruption here is mind-boggling. Unlike the US (which I believe ranks #20 on Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index–the lowest of all the rich, western countries), which at least tries to be subtle about it, Romanian politicians and authority figures are completely blantant about the corruption. (They rank #69 on the CPI, and are the most corrupt member of the EU.) Anyway, enough ranting…
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“No offense to our good Pastafarian hosts here; but NOT all Christianity is rooted in bibliolatry, nor is it all – or even in that large a part – given over to such funnymentalcase ideas as “Creation Science” and/or “Intellegent Design” – as a fixed set of propositions – substituting for human growth, discovery, and knowledge.”
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And think that shows by the numbers of Christians we’ve had post here that aren’t offended by the site and FSMism, and can appreciate the satire of it. And we’ve even had one on another thread (user name: sawthelight), who, while a bit heavy-handed in her approach, was genuinely concerned about our souls. Once everybody got past their respective “I’m right, you’re wrong,” attitudes, a civilized conversation followed. I think the aggravation of bibliolatory stems from the fact that this minority is very vocal and uses that to try and bully their way into places where their beliefs do not belong, such as science classrooms.
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@Captain Capelli d’angelo–”Jesus said in Matthew 5:18 “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled”.”
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Did Jesus say that, or did some random guy say that, centuries after Jesus’ death?
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“The bible is so ambiguous that you can pretty much support any preconceived notion you may have. The rub comes when you pay attention to ALL of it.”
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Agreed. And it’s the literal interpretation of these conflicting notions that leads to some people calling for the teaching of ID in science classes, and FSM knows what else. (I had a classmate a couple years ago who continues to flip out about birth control. Apparently, it contradicts the whole “go forth and multiply” or other such nonsense.)
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@Wench Nikkiee – Re http://www.evolutionnews.org/2007/11/design_of_life.html#more
I had a qick read. Seems like a lot of bull shit to me.
“Today, the NCSE’s website hosts over 100 individual web pages attacking Pandas….
Why have Darwinists gone to such lengths to attack Pandas? It’s simple. While Discovery Institute opposes mandating ID in public schools or adopting Pandas in public schools, Pandas nonetheless scared Darwinists because it offered a potent, comprehensive critique of Darwinian evolution and proposed a legitimate scientific alternative, intelligent design (ID). “
I thought it was because it was filled with unexplained and ungrounded sudo-science?
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I liked the quote you used.
“…recounting many of the peer-reviewed scientific papers, scientific books, and laboratory studies completed by ID theorists. It offers an excellent up-to-date account of ID for any reader.”
Would that be 400 pages of crap and overly worded trip designed to try and fool those who don’t know better?
Best of all:
“a critical analysis of the evidence used to support the hypothesis that whales evolved from land-mammals.”
Soooo this would ignore the fossil record again? Or the fact that the breath air?
It’s the horrible combination of funny and scary (like circus clowns) that seems to prevail.
Are we sure their not just taking the piss?
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“Seems like a lot of bull shit to me.”
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Yep! Just standard for them!
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“Are we sure their not just taking the piss?”
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Discovery Institute? Noooo…. they’re dead serious…that’s ID headquarters :((
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“like circus clowns”
Funny you should say that….their two top poster boys are often referred to as the “Behehehehe and Dumbski” Disco Clown Act. Dumbski of course being none other than William Dembski …co-author of that book. He sure is some piece of warped work!
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@ Wench Nikkiee- Does he post how great he is? Or how he was never going to be recognised for anything in life so made up so pretences clap trap instead?
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Well he does has his own propaganda website. My guess is also that Discovery pays him rather well!
I wish I could link the animation he had commissioned of Judge Jones and the Dover trial prosecution witnesses…complete with fart and pig sound effects. He sent a copy of it, as a xmas present, to all the science wittnesses for the prosecution ! Far as I know it’s not up on the net anymore. Really did give an idea of the guys personal mentality….the description “narcisstic personality disorder” comes to mind.
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WOW and I thought I was up my own arse!
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zzzz…
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Is that my beautiful butterfly? Wake up babe!
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I’m up! *taking off a post-it sticked to my forehead*
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@PacificPam (Butterfly)- That’s my girl.
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@ Pluto – Sorry I’m tardy in reply; but I don’t get all that much time for “surfing” and/or enjoying the blog some days; and yesterday was one of those.
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You have summed it up quite well. The “inspiration” – or, if you will, the gift of Faith – led to writing it down, for wider distribution of the Good News (Gospel), as well as for opportunity to repeat the lessons and biographical information in a way that would re-afirm and strengthen the individual, and Community, in their living examples.
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Also, the interactions of the Communities themselves (Ecclesia/congregatons/churches) led to times when one group had questions concerning local “problems”, which were referred to that living authority – such as the Apostle Paul – who answered their questions, and gave such worldly guidance as necessary. As time went by, certain Communities developed large libraries, as well as a local reputation for being good examples; and questions were directed there, with answers coming from the then living Bishop, or other recognized leader. (The Epistles)
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The various offshoots, and heresies, also developed a body of written materials, some of which imitated and/or closely paralleled the Orthodox writings; and which also circulated widely. The Council assembled as much of this material as it could, from as universal a representation of the local Churches as was then possible to accomplish. All were considered, and comparred to the essential of Tradition – and the Theology of the Symbolion – and the final Canon adopted for Leiturgos (Public Worship) was the Council’s form of a “seal of approval” on the materials. The written word and the oral Tradition/word were congruent, and Theologically Orthodox (Right Glorifying, Right Worshiping)for use throughout the world.
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The Septuagint (Seventy) version of the Hebrew Scriptures was appended to the books assembled as “New Testament”, on the basis of its being prophetic and pre-figuring the Mysteriae of Christianity. This was NOT a form of “adoption” of Hebrew “Laws”, or the Jewish Ritual forms of Kosher/Clean, Tref/Unclean; nor were these ever considered as now binding on Christians in perpetuity.
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Rather, the New Testament includes a somewhat truncated historical/biographical section – the Acts of the Apostles – in which Christians learn of the way in which the Apostles themselves, in the Council at Jerusalem, disposed of not only the matter of circumcision, but also of the dietary – and other – Hebrew legalisms.
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The Protestant regression to bibliolatry only serves to show the emptiness of their whole idea of Christianity. If the Hebrew Scriptures be – as with Mohamed’s Qran – something perpetual, absolute, and binding forever, why then don’t Protestants also insist on circumcision, and the whole of the Kosher/Tref set of laws and instructions?
@ Those quoting the passage concerning Jesus’s words about the “fulfillment of the Law”:
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It is the fundamental premise of Christianity that HE IS THE FULFILLMENT OF THE LAW. (Read the Epistles of St. Paul for the formal exposition here.) That there are human rules and regulations, social, political, cultural, etc., etc., is one thing. That the Hebrew Law (Torah/Talmud, etc.) has been fulfilled, and is now not necessary to Christians is quite another.
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The great difference between Orthodoxy and Romanism/Protestantism lies in the fundamental premise that Christianity is an INDIVIDUAL experience – the GIFT of Faith personally, Incorporating the soul IN CHRIST. Romanism/Protestantism, on the other hand, hold Christianity to be an INSTITUTIONAL experience – “salvation” by way of JOINING THE CHURCH, and being a follower of all the rules and regulations of the GROUP.
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This WESTERN religious position comes from the Roman adoption of the philosophical approach to “knowing ABOUT God”, by way of Augustine of Hippo, Origen, and the Aristotleian from of “logic”. This mind-set was specifically condemned by Council, with Origen, and all his followers – of whom Augustine of Hippo was an avowed member – named in the condemnation.
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Orthodoxy, on the other hand begins with the statement: “We know nothing ABOUT God. We know God.” And the essential of MYSTERY – a Total Transcendence become an Incarnate Immanence – is the Christian message. (Which leads to the further development of human kind’s own Theosis, individually.)
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@ old grouch
Your answer to my point about the application of Old Testament law is pretty typical. You didn’t answer. Instead we took a trip through other verse and dogma.
Back to the point…Matt 5:18 is straightforward and says you as a christian abide by all OT law. You are not even allowed to break the “least” of the laws. Verse 19 and 20 are the punitive verses that call you names (beast) and say you can’t get into heaven unless you abide by 5:18. Are you saying by virtue of your response that other evidence you have proves these verses errant?
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@Captain Capelli d’angelo. Sorry. You are assuming that Orthodox Christianity is, somehow, historically subsequent to, or out of, the Western European Protestant Revolution, where bibliolatry – i.e., supposedly basing the Church on the book; and making the book into an idol, as with Mohamed and the Qran – takes the place of the actual historical reality of Christianity, which began as ORAL TRADITION, with the book as “coroberation” NOT, as you seem to be insisting, the “model for inception”.
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If, for you, Protestant bibliolatry is your form of “Christianity”, there is no more to say. We are then actually dealing with two different religions entirely; and as a long time history student, and teacher, I can only stick to the historical facts that show them to be such. What you speak of as “other verse and dogma” is Orthodox Christianity
I am an Orthodox Christian. Orthdoxy does not regard the book as inerrant, nor as being some kind of imposition of absolute law, based on the Hebrew Torah. I cannot answer a question concerning something that IS NOT Orthodox Theology as if it were. The evidence is the 2,000+ years of Orthodox Christianity; the history of the Seven Oecumenical Councils – where Orthodox Theology was established – the Symbolion (Creed); which is that Profession of Faith which Orthodoxy makes at all Worship – That which is Prayed is that which is believed. – and the host of writers known as the Fathers of the Church, who detail Orthodox belief and practice. For me, as an Orthodox Christian, that is where all Dogma is found.
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If you want support for, or acquiesance to, a Protestant presentation, I can’t give it to you. Thank you for your patience in reading what I have presented.
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Hello Old Grouch,
You are one of the best read Christians I’ve seen on this site
in the year that I’ve been coming here.
While I’ve established a trademark of being concise on this forum.
I’ll stick to that trait and ask you why God lets children be born ill,
And-or with terminal illness?
I trust you won’t give me a Bible quote (I know them all anyway).
But I will admit I’m lacking in the way of the Orthodox belief system.
Could you shed light on my question (from the Orthodox point of belief)?
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Thank you,
Peter Popoff
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@ Peter Popoff – The whole matter of, “Why God lets . . . whatever . . . “, is one that presumes that human-kind itself KNOWS HOW “God should act”. This mind-set is based on the premise that the finite/created somehow exceeds – or “controls”, or affects – the Infinite/Uncreated. And this approach is at the root of the anthropomorphization of God that gives us the mythological pantheons, where the “deities” simply mirror human behavior on a grandiose scale. From this anthropomorphic conception of “deity”, philosophy builds a whole structure of what humans “know” – or are supposed to be able to “know – ABOUT – God”, including such esoteric concepts as just exactly how each Person of the Holy Trinity inter-connects, and inter-acts, from inception. (And, if you don’t think that one is a real mind-bender, you haven’t had a Jesuit philosophy major.)
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Orthodoxy simply refuses the whole idea of an anthropomorphic approach. As Orthodox, we know nothing ABOUT God; we know God. And this is a PERSONAL knowledge, by way of Revelation, brought to fruition with the Incarnation, and available to each of us through our Incorporation into the Living Body of Christ on Earth, by Baptism/Chrismation. Indeed, Orthodoxy goes on to teach: “Everything we say about Him, He is not.” Which serves to remind us that we are dealing with an Absolute Transcendence, beyond all human comprehension; Who has become an Incarnate Imanence for the purpose of restoring His whole creation to that which it was when He looked upon it, and “saw that it was good”.
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We are allowed to use human language to teach, discuss, etc., etc., since language is the basic form of human communication. But, that which we teach, discuss, etc., etc., remains always “other than” the limits of language, which “otherness” is at root of the whole Mystery of Faith. Or, to try to put into some more or less modern terms, philosophy teaches “how to build a box, and know all about everything in that box”. While Orthodoxy begins by insisting that we “think outside ANY box”; or, perhaps to say it a bit better, since there is NO BOX, of any kind, that can begin to “hold” God, we really aren’t supposed to “think ABOUT” – i.e., label, pigeon-hole, categorize, set limits and boundaries, etc., etc., – God, or the “specifics” of the Mysteriae (Sacraments) to begin with, even though we live them as part of our own Theosis.
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Councils strictly condemned the Augustinian formulae that began with his idea of the “stragis”, or “indellible mark”, as the sign of “Priesthood”; but Rome adopted the Augustinian “boxes”, and developed its entire pseudo-Theology on the premises that these were “necessary to salvation”; and that any “thinking outside the box” was heretical, which led to the excesses of the un-Holy Inquisition, where even the slightest degree of thought ventured against a “definition” could get one burned at the stake. Having now created “God” in man’s own image and likeness, by way of philosophy, Western Romanism could answer any and all questions of what “God ought to . . . .”. And, answers are found in the massive volumes of Thomism, etc., etc., to almost every HUMAN question – economic, social, cultural, political, etc. etc. – that Romanism developed over the Centuries.
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We are all human. And most of us are familiar with the Western ethos, and Western philosophical approach. So, we too ask, “How/why God lets . . . ?” For Orthodoxy, strictly speaking, that is not really an “allowable” question. When Adam turned away from God, creation and human-kind were opened to suffering and death. And, as hard as it is sometimes to abstain from anthropomorphizing God, and seeking a particular answer as to “Why God lets . . . ?”, nevertheless that question remains one that has no really satisfactory human answer. Except insofar as the answer be one in which we acknowledge that we, as humans, do not fully know all ABOUT God, nor all that much ABOUT His overall – as well as often particular – plan and purpose.
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We can only surrender the question; act with our fullest compassion; and, in Faith, leave it to God.
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Which is not to say that it is not terribly frustrating to experience someone actually asking the question in a specific case. But, Orthodoxy doesn’t claim to have “all the answers”, as other forms of religion do sometimes claim.
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Man…I don’t even want to read this
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I don’t think there’s any obligation. Just use your scroll wheel.
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I did! hahahaaha
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Old Grouch,
Thanks for the read.
I think I do have a better understanding of Orthodoxy.
It was nice to hear a Christian admit they follow “Blind Faith”.
Most Internet xtians get lost at that point, and get mad and stomp off.
Silly human pride or something.
For what it’s worth, I’m glad you have that faith.
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I grew up Roman Catholic, and I know many people that follow God,
Much like you do
(they accept that some things shouldn’t questioned, and farther that there are no answers).
I respect that position, as long as my position (that I need solid answers
to questions before I’ll accept them) is respected.
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Thanks for the reply,
Peter Popoff
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So, does Old Grouch likes us?
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@ old grouch
Sorry I tried to put you in the “box” with others. I remain an atheist, but nonetheless find your approach to faith refreshing vs. so many others I have met. You also managed to stay positive and explanatory when more that a couple of us were being confrontational. With your level demeanor I wonder why you tagged yourself “old grouch”.
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@ Pacific Pam – So far, from what I have read, and from the questions and replies that have been exchanged, I think you are, for the most part, very likeable people.
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Since Orthodoxy stresses that the finite cannot, and does not, affect the Infinite, there is a great deal more opportunity to recognize that both satire and parody are a very refreshing way in which to keep HUMAN egos from over-inflation, as well as being, very possibly, an example of the fact that God’s own sense of humor is much greater than organized religions and their leaders are willing – much less able – to admit.
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Perhaps the idea of a humorless God is at the root of that kind of response which would condemn others. There is something rather ridiculous in the approach, every time a funnymentalcase announces his, or her, interpretation of “obedience to the law/book in literal form”. The inflation of the “Pastoral” position/ego to a status of divine afflatus that confounds the messenger with the message seems to be almost universal in Western Christianity. And this more or less boils down to a kind of, “To insult/disagree with ME is to insult/disagree with God” – vide, an “Infallible Pope”, for instance, and a whole (un)-Holy Office of the Inquisition.
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Carried over into Protestantism, I believe it was Milton who wrote: “New Presbyter is but old Priest, writ large.” (Sorry. I do get long-winded, and carried away at times.) Anyway, I do like you.
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@Peter Popoff – My own background includes a Jesuit education, with double majors – philosophy being the subject area in which I wrote my Baccalaurate Thesis. On the way through, I encountered St. Photios of Constantinople, when doing a paper on the Schism of the early 800s, over the insertion of the Filioque clause into the Symbolion. I always get a little kick out of telling my good Roman friends that it was the Jesuits who made an Orthodox Christian out of me – unintentionally of course.
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If you will forgive a quotation: “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”. Altogether too often, Western versions of Christianity seem to teach that EVERYTHING has been, already, not only “seen” but completely explained, verified, proved, and cast in concrete: Just read the Book – or “follow the leader”, who knows it all already. Orthodoxy still stresses the word, “Mysterion” (Mystery) throughout. Which serves to remind us of the difference between finite/created and Infinite/Creator. And, although he was not himself Orthodox, Alexander Pope said it rather well: “Presume not God to scan./ The proper study of mankind is man.”
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Just a personal note, here. Maybe, rather than asking, “Why does God let . . . ?”, we should ask, “What can we do to change, or eliminate, that which we now see as troubling, and has us baffled?” I like to think God gave his human creation a brain, and sentience, in order for humanity to USE THEM, rather than merely to regard them as some kind of “decorative” appendages.
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Yay…I just read the first line…It was enough and satisfying…=)
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@Captain Capelli d’angelo – I used to post on our local Rocky Munchkin News “Reader Response to Letters to the Editor” pages – before they went over to requiring a password, which they assign, after one “subscribes” to their new website – and I am not without a fairly wide streak of crankiness that comes out at times; especially in response to today’s “conservative” political issues. I began by using my own name – and I’ll spare you the results of that, except to say, that personal harassment got way out of hand.
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When I went back, my friend suggested that, given my age, and my not always sweet, gentle, and mellow disposition, I might well use a “pen name” more descriptive of how I am seen to be. So, I do; and I’ve stuck to it, out of force of habit, I guess, even when matters are religious in content. (Helps me to remember that I had better not begin to confuse myself as “messenger” with what I hope is a good message, too.)
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Anyone who wants to read some of the less pleasant of my productions is welcome to go to “http://www.reflectionsinajaundicedeye.info”; and correspondence with “dickenslaw@myway.com” will get reply – though not always promptly, since I am not on the computer regularly. (I’m not all that much “sweetness and light” when it comes to some areas of religion, either. But . . . ! I also don’t claim “perfection”.)
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If you go to the website, please drop a note on the Guest Book. It’s too expensive for me to offer a blog as such; but your comments will be appreciated, though not open to additional postings in reply.
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Passing note: This machine of mine does not produce hyperlinks; and the last time I put up information about the website and email, it had to be broken into separate words to get through. I’ve used quotes here, since I don’t know what the website provider might do with the material otherwise.
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O.K….O.K… Great new religion! How do I become a minister?
How much? Are there matchbook applications available? How soon
can I make the big bucks converting, getting followers? Are multiple
wives allowed? O.K. O.K. how about dewy-eyed followers? Not too old;
not too smart. Has anyone claimed the Hamptons? How do I get in touch with Paris, Brit, and Lindsey?
Pass the pasta…I’m on board! Just need the book
and the the emblem for the car.
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From the Panda’s Thumb
“sex, lies and a math mistake”
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“First, the sex. I’ll admit right up front that this post has nothing to do with sex, except for the general nature of what the ID movement is trying to do to public science education in this country.
Before moving on to lies, let’s take care of the math mistake first.
Last week, in response to the splendid PBS/NOVA production on the Dover trial (Judgment Day: ID on Trial”), the Discovery Institute hacked out a booklet for teachers, called “The Theory of Intelligent Design: A briefing packet for educators, to help teachers understand the debate between Darwinian evolution and intelligent design…..”.”
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pandasthumb.org/archives/2007/11/sex-lies-and-a.html
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(add http://)
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*Passes some pasta and a tankard of rum to Fun Doh Mentalist*
RAmen
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I live in Nashville and I remember a few years back, the owners of a local coffeehouse cooked a bun and its topography bore an uncanny resemblance to either Mother Teresa or the Blessed Mother and Child (I forget which). They put it on exhibit in their pastry case and did land office business.
Anyway one night the owner’s dog broke into the case and scarfed thre thing down. Naturally, they induced vomiting in the mutt, but somehow their sacred pastry was never the same.
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I won’t be surprised if someday soon ID scientists find a big shark and cut it open, and there inside is a whole person. Then they cut the person open, and in him is a little baby shark. And in the baby shark there isn’t a person, because it would be too small.
But there’s a little doll or something,
like a Johnny Combat little toy guy… something like that, soon.
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I’m a fan of this program. NOVA seriously rocks.
@Peter Popoff
Is it just me or have you been a bit fond of Jack Handey Quotes recently?
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